Vending Successes
June 2003: Central Bucks students think milk vending machines are cool
What's the hottest trend in school today? At Central Bucks middle and high schools, it may be milk-ice cold milk. That's because in each high school and middle school in this Bucks County, Pa., school district, milk is sold in 16-ounce resealable, grab-n-go plastic containers out of new glass-front vending machines.
According to Maureen O'Donnell, general manager of foodservice for the entire Central Bucks school district, students seem to love milk's new look. In addition to white milk, the vending machines feature various flavors, including top-selling chocolate milk, lowfat chocolate and vanilla. Students have asked that strawberry milk be added to the line-up. When flavors like strawberry, mocha and eggnog are occasionally offered, students rush to buy even more milk, O'Donnell says.
For Ellen Fuller, R.D., director of Nutrition Education and Marketing for Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association, that's great news. She knows that adolescence is a period of intense growth and development. In fact, during the middle and high school years, half of all adult bone is formed and 15 percent of adult height is added. Yet this is an age when students hardly make their food choices based on optimal nutrition.
According to the United States Department Agriculture, nine out of 10 teen girls and seven out of 10 teen boys don't get the calcium they need. Fuller cautions, "If they don't drink milk now, they can't make up for it later as adults." As for all the flavors of milk, she emphasizes that flavored milk offers the same nutrition as regular milk-"an excellent source of calcium plus a great source of eight other nutrients that teens need to build better bodies."
Milk gets A+ for nutrition
Maureen O'Donnell agrees. Better nutrition was a big factor in trying out the new milk vending machines. "We wanted to offer a nutritious choice and something that kids would enjoy," she says.
Central Bucks students are definitely buying more milk. Sales in the district's two high schools were so good last year that at the start of the 2002-2003 school year, milk vending machines were added to all five of the middle schools, for a total of seven machines in the school district. Sales stay fairly constant, with average daily milk vending sales of $125 from the seven machines.
"Students who won't buy the milk in the cheaper paper cartons off the lunch line will go into the dining area and spend a dollar on a single-serve container of milk from the machine," O'Donnell says.
Bill West, vice president of sales with Goodwest Industries, which services the vending machines, says that the new, revamped milk container - a bigger, resealable, plastic, wide-mouthed "chug"- is a big draw for the students, as are the "bright, clean and inviting" glass-front vending machines. West adds, "We are extremely excited about how well milk is selling in schools in these new machines."
While the increased milk consumption is great for students, the increased milk sales are good for the school. Monthly sales net a substantial profit, which goes back into the foodservice operating costs to provide better meals. In addition, the vending machines don't add extra work for the cafeteria staff since Goodwest Industries, a full-service vending operator out of Parkerford, Pa., owns, services and fills the machines.
Goodwest Industries and the foodservice department are not the only ones pleased with the milk vending machines. So are the teachers, principals, parents and students, judging from all the favorable comments.
"It's good for schools to sell milk," O'Donnell says. "It helps the image of school foodservice. We aren't just selling junk; we're selling something good for the students." Better nutrition, a good image and a healthy bottom line all add up to make milk very, very cool at Central Bucks Schools.